God's Free Gift

God Loves you

HAVE YOU RECEIVED GOD'S FREE GIFT OF SALVATION?
HIS NAME IS JESUS CHRIST!

The Almighty God, created all things and created you. God has a wonderful plan
for everyone and everything in this world. God's plan is found in a book called
the Bible. The Bible contains God's words written down, so that you can know,
understand, love and worship your Creator. God is love. God is also pure, holy,
peace, joy, good to all, kind, slow to anger, forgiving, merciful, just, honest,
He cannot lie, He is wonderful, the counselor, the everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace, The mighty God. He is also light and in Him is no darkness at
all. Love needs expression, so the Godhead (who is the Father, the Word and the
Holy Spirit) created this world and all things including mankind. The following
text includes scriptures from the Bible about God's love and His special plan
and gift for you.

God's creation

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male
and female created he them." Genesis 1:27.

"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."
Genesis 1:31.

"And the Lord God took the man, (Adam, the first man whom He had created) and
put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God
commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Genesis 2:15-17.

The Lord loves and wants to protect His creation, so He gave man commands and
instructions to follow.

satan's deception

There was another being in the garden called Satan. Satan (who is also known as
the Devil), is a fallen angel from heaven who displeased God.

"And the serpent (Satan) said unto the woman (whose name was Eve), Ye shall not
surely die. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes
shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4.
Satan lied and deceived Eve.

"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the
fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did
eat." Genesis 3:6. Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command, God's instruction. This
is sin.

"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he
said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked;
and I hid myself." Genesis 3:9-10. Sin brings fear, separation from God and
ultimately death.

"Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12.

An example of sin is lying. Lying is not speaking or doing the truth. Lying is
the use of deception to achieve a result or outcome. Lying is to intentionally
tell a false statement, to hide the truth, to cheat, to deceive or mislead, or
imply something other than giving the full and correct facts. Telling or
implying any kind of lie is sin, and sin separates you from God. We cannot say
well it was only a small or white lie. God does not judge us on whether the lie
is big or small. Sin is sin and Romans 6:23. says "For the wages of sin is death;
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Death is
eternal separation (in the lake of fire), from God!

God's word also says:

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murders, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and ALL liars, shall have their part
in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
Revelation 21:8. "But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and
the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive; and as for the
unbelieving and faithless; and as for the depraved and defiled with
abominations; and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the
practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to
any one or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey
untruth by word or deed, all of these shall have) their part in the lake that
blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death." Amplified Bible. ALL
liars (that includes Christians and non-Christians) will have their part in the
lake of fire unless there is genuine repentance.

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any
graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is
in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not
bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity (sin) of the fathers upon the children unto the third
and fourth generation of them that hate me. And shewing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments." Exodus 20:3-6.

"Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god
but me: for there is no saviour beside me." Hosea 13:4.

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. Everyone
has done something wrong - in thought, word or deed because there no one
perfect. The sin nature is in our bloodstream and it reveals itself in 4 ways:

jesus christ - your substitute

Sin brings death and separation from God, Who is holy. Sin therefore must be
dealt with. Sin must be removed from us if we are to have access to God and
heaven. Man is imperfect, and because sin is passed through the blood stream of
males, man cannot do anything that makes him acceptable and worthy enough before
God. But the Godhead had a wonderful plan. The only way for man to receive
forgiveness of sins, would be by the shedding of sinless pure blood. So one out
of the Godhead, who was sinless, willingly offered to pay the price for the sin
of the world. The Word (Who is God) said He would come and be born in the earth.
So God the Word, in order to become God's Son in the earth, was conceived by God
the Father, and born of Mary, a virgin. He was given the name Jesus. Jesus would
then grow up and be named Jesus Christ and tell people about God His Father, who
loves people. Jesus Christ as an innocent man, would then go to the cross, to
take man's sin upon Himself. Jesus Christ had done nothing wrong. He was sinless
and pure because He was the middle one from the Godhead - the God-Man.

Jesus obeyed His Father's commands, which meant being the ultimate sacrifice,
for you. So at the age of 33 years, Jesus was spat on, beaten, his beard was
plucked, a crown of long thorns pierced his head, and he was viciously whipped.
By the whipping He bore for you, which tore flesh off His back, He carried every
pain, sickness and disease, just so you don't have to have sickness any more. He
was then crucified, which means nails were pierced through His hands and feet to
secure Him to the cross. He then hung on the cross for six horrendous hours.
Being crucified is the most excruciating way a person can die.

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace
was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him
the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:4-6.

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree (the cross), that we
being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were
healed." 1 Peter 2:24.

All this happened to Him until He was almost unrecognizable. God's word says:
"As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and
his form more than the sons of men." Isaiah 52:14.

After being crucified, Jesus was then buried for three days and three nights and
then rose from the dead and was seen by many. His impact on the world was
enormous, like no other man. In fact the current calendar is dated BC meaning
Before Christ, and AD Anno Domini, meaning the year of our Lord. Our calendar to
this day, was changed because of the life of Jesus Christ!

"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: how that Christ
(Jesus, God's Son) died for our sins according to the scriptures. And that He
was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures." 1
Corinthians 15:3-4.

"For the wages (payment) of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.

why did jesus christ do this for you?

Jesus Christ loves you. He knows all about you and your life because He is all
knowing. He has seen everything that has gone on and what has happened to you.
Yet because of His great love for you, He sacrificed His life and died for you,
as your substitute, so that you can receive God's forgiveness for all your sins,
and be healed of all your sicknesses, if you believe.

"But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

"For God so loved the world (you) that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish (suffer destruction), but have
everlasting life." John 3:16. Jesus took the punishment of your sin when He died
on the cross, so you can receive eternal life, if you believe.

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but
is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. Repentance means to have regret about
the things you have done and to decide not to continue in wrong doing, to change
your ways, to turn away from a life of sin and turn to God.

our restoration

"For the Son of man (Jesus Christ) is come to save that which was lost." Matthew
18:11.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me." John 14:6. Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.

"The thief (the Devil) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy: I am come that they might have (enjoy) life, and that they might have
it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life
for the sheep." John 10:10-11.

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord
shall be saved." Acts 2:21. Saved means to be delivered from destruction, death,
the consequences of sin, and admission to heaven brought about by Jesus Christ's
sacrifice.

"Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering:
not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth you to repentance?" Romans 2:4. God
is working in your life right now to draw you to Himself.

"Repent ye therefore (turn away from sin and turn to God), and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out." Acts 3:19.

"But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in your mouth, and in your
heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. That if thou shall confess
with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has
raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Romans 10:8-10.

"For the scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For
there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek (or Indian): for the same
Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:11-13.

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord
shall be delivered." Joel 2:32.

"I will ransom them from the power of the grave: I will redeem them (deliver
from sin and damnation) from death." Hosea 13:14.

"In whom we have redemption (deliverance from sin and damnation) through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins." Colossians 1:14.

"In whom we have redemption (deliverance from sin and damnation) through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." Ephesians
1:7. Grace is God's undeserved favour. We do not even deserve His goodness and
mercy.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith He loved us."
Ephesians 2:4.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9. (Unrighteousness is wrong doing,
wickedness and dishonest ways.)

new beginning

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more." Hebrews 8:12.

"As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions
(sins) from us." Psalm 103:12. Once your sins are forgiven, God no longer
remembers or records them.

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: thou your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18.

"For by grace (undeserved favour) are you saved through faith (faith is trusting
in God); and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8. You
cannot work for your salvation. You need to believe that Jesus Christ paid the
price for your salvation - it is a free gift for you to receive.

"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened (made alive) us together with
Christ; by grace (undeserved favour) ye are saved." Ephesians 2:5.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth." Romans 1:16.

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of
God which lives and abides forever." 1 Peter 1:23.

God is offering to you a new start, a new beginning, being born again
spiritually on the inside.

"Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son." Colossians 1:13.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation): old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.

God is offering you a new beginning, a fresh start, but this time not by
yourself and in your own strength. This time with God's help, through having a
relationship with Him and living your life His way, following His commands as
written in the Bible and allowing Him to be Lord of your life.

"... for he (Jesus) has said: I will never leave you, nor forsake (abandon)
you." Hebrews 13:5.

"...for He (God) Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you
up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any
degree leave you helpless, nor forsake (abandon), nor let you down, relax My
hold on you - assuredly not!" Amplified Bible - Hebrews 13:5.

Jesus Christ will always be there to help you!

God desires to BLOT OUT ALL THE SINS OF YOUR PAST, and to give you a FUTURE.

His LOVE FOR YOU is SO GREAT, that in exchange for all your sins,
transgressions, iniquities, uncleanness and all the GUILT that goes with your
current life, He will give you PEACE in your heart and mind and ETERNAL LIFE!

so what about you?

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou
and thy seed may live. That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou
mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for He is thy life,
and the length of thy days." Deuteronomy 30:19-20.

Right now, where do you stand with God? Is your life right with Him? Is there
sin in your life separating you from a holy and just God? If this was your final
moment and you took your last breath, would you make it to heaven?

The Bible says that all have sinned and come short of God. It is sin which is in
our heart and shows itself in what we think, say and do, that separates us from
God. But we want you to know God loves you so very much that He sent His Son,
Jesus Christ, to take the punishment of your sin. Jesus had done nothing wrong,
but He took your place and your judgment, by dying the most painful of deaths
when He died on the cross, was buried and then He was raised from the dead and
was seen by many.

We also want you to know there is heaven to gain and fiery hell to lose and only
by getting your life right with God, and continuing to live right before God,
will you make it to heaven.

Or, you might be reading this article and you know you are not in the place with
God as you should be. You used to be full on for God, but now you are not
serving Him as you should. You have let other things steal your relationship
with God and you want to come back to Him right now.

Or, you might be reading this article and unsure if you are saved. The Devil is
always lying to you and telling you, you are not saved. So right now, you too
can make sure you are saved.

Remember, Jesus stood openly on a cross, with His arms outstretched wide, to
prove how much He loves you. He did that for you. If you were the only person in
the world, He still would have gone to the cross, just for you. That is how
valuable you are to God. Jesus Christ actually died for you!

today is the day of salvation - that means now!

So if you fall into any of those three categories:

Your life is not right with God and you want to receive His forgiveness

Or if you have moved away from God and you want to come back to Him

Or if you are unsure of whether you are saved or not, and you want to be sure
this day

If that is you, and God is speaking to your heart right now, if you are sincere
before God, God will hear your prayer. Prayer is talking to God, and He is
listening and waiting for you to turn and call out to Him. Will you do that?

This is your decision time. If you would like to receive God's free gift of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and make a fresh start today by
surrendering your life to Him, then say the following prayer out aloud. As you
believe, and say this prayer sincerely from your heart, God will hear you, and
forgive you and cleanse away your sins.

prayer of salvation

"Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
I confess that I have sinned against You and others. I am sorry for everything I
have done wrong and I ask You to forgive me. I believe Jesus Christ took all my
sins and sicknesses upon Himself, when He died on the cross for me, and rose
again on the third day.

Lord, You said in Your Word that if I confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus and I
believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, I will be saved. So
Father, right now I give you my life, and I confess Jesus Christ is my Lord, my
Saviour and my Healer who died for me, and then rose from the dead.

Thank you Lord, for Your love, forgiveness and mercy and giving me eternal life.
Amen"

welcome to the family of god

God loves you and so do we. If you said that prayer, we would like you to email
us and let us know so we can be upholding you in prayer. Just click on the
Testimony button below.

to assist your walk in god, we encourage you to do a few things

Every day - Talk to the Lord. You can tell Him everything because He wants to help you. Life in God is about having a relationship with Him, and not about religious traditions.

Every day - Read the Bible so you get to know how much God loves you and what He desires to do in your life. If you do not have a Bible, get with someone who does, or continue to meditate on the many scriptures in this Magazine. Just like you feed your natural man, God’s Word feeds your spiritual man. The Bible consists of both the Old and New Testaments. (2 Timothy 3:16)

Every week - Attend Church so you can learn and grow in the ways of God, receive Communion and give your Tithes and Offerings to the Lord, so His blessings will flow in your life. (Hebrews 10:25)

Get Water Baptised (full immersion) and filled with the Holy Spirit (with the evidence of speaking in tongues). The Holy Spirit will help you understand the Bible and to walk with the Lord. (Acts 2:4 & 38)

Be around strong Christians who will encourage you in your walk with the Lord.

May the Lord God who loves you so very much, bless you, guide you and protect you, as you walk with Him every day! Amen.